California Company Creates a Cannabis Breathalyzer

September 20, 2018
By
The Law Offices of Jarrod M. Wilfert

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The legalization of recreational cannabis has occurred in nine states and
the District of Columbia, while 30 states and D.C. have legalized medicinal
marijuana. However, law enforcement throughout the United States has shown
great concern about
drugged driving.

To combat stoned driving, police often use field sobriety tests, drug recognition
experts (DREs), and observation. However, these tactics do not determine
intoxication and can even be foiled with breath mints and eye drops. Testing
tools used today can take days to obtain results and can’t determine
whether a person has consumed marijuana a few hours ago or weeks ago.

Due to the lack of a proper testing device, Hound Labs says it has created
a cannabis breathalyzer. Known as the Hound® marijuana breathalyzer,
the California company claims its device can detect if a person has consumed
cannabis in the last two hours, which is considered the average time frame
for peak impairment.

The breathalyzer works by having the suspect blow into a small plastic
tub—that is connected to a device about the size of a large smartphone—for
30 seconds. Then indicator bars begin to show if the device detects any
presence of THC on the suspect’s breath. Additionally, the device
also measures alcohol on the suspect’s breath.

The following are the benefits of the Hound® marijuana breathalyzer:

Determines recent use of cannabis, whether it is smoked or ingested

Provides results in a few minutes and stored for future access

Doesn’t detect pot use from days earlier

The reason why this device is accurate is that it can measure THC in breath
molecules in parts per trillion since THC is significantly less concentrated
than alcohol. By contrast, alcohol is measured in parts per thousand.

Alas, there are several hurdles the company and law enforcement must overcome
to use the breathalyzer in future traffic stops. First, there is no federal
limit to how much THC in a person’s breath, saliva or blood that
constitutes impairment. Second, there are still questions about when the
device should be used and how the results can be used as admissible evidence in court.

Starting this fall, several cities will partner with Hound Labs to begin
field testing the cannabis breathalyzer.

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